1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical spring contacts and, in particular, to a new type of spring contact and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,709 to Noschese discloses a vertical action spring contact made from a one-piece blank that is wound into a spiral. The spring contact can be mounted in a hole in a matrix block and can be used to transmit signals or grounds between parallel circuit boards. U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,109 to Dery discloses a coiled spring contact that is laid on its side. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,029,375; 4,199,209; 4,620,761; 3,795,884; 3,258,736; 4,778,404; 4,161,346; 4,505,529; and 4,752,231 disclose other types of electrical spring contacts.
Various problems exist with spring contacts in the prior art. One problem is the lack of ease of manufacture of the contacts and, assembly of the contacts with a housing. Some contacts are difficult to manufacture, especially in relatively small sizes. Another problem is that it is often desirable to have a contact with a relatively short path between contact surfaces, especially when intended to be used in connecting electronic devices. Prior art spring contacts did not always provide a relatively short path between contact surfaces.
It is an objective of the present invention to overcome problems in the prior art as well as provide additional features and advantages.